Vriesendorp F J, Flynn R E, Malone M R, Pappolla M A
Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Acta Neuropathol. 1998 Mar;95(3):297-301. doi: 10.1007/s004010050801.
The effect of systemic complement depletion by cobra venom factor (CVF) was evaluated in adoptive transfer experimental allergic neuritis (AT-EAN). Spleen cells of rats immunized with a neuritogenic peptide SP26 were injected into naive rats. On days 3 and 6 after cell transfer AT-EAN rats were treated with CVF or saline intraperitoneally. AT-EAN rats treated with CVF had significantly lower scores for histological inflammation (0.25 +/- 0.25 vs 1.9 +/- 0.4, mean +/- SEM, P < 0.03) and demyelination (0.13 +/- 0.13 vs 1.6 +/- 1.4, P < 0.02) than saline-treated AT-EAN rats. Immunocytochemistry of lumbosacral nerve roots showed significantly less ED1-positive macrophages (0.5 +/- 0.3 vs 1.6 +/- 0.6, P < 0.04) and CD11bc-positive (expressing complement receptor 3 or CR3) inflammatory cells (0.6 +/- 0.4 vs 1.7 +/- 0.5, P < 0.03). Our data suggest that complement plays a crucial role in inflammatory demyelination since systemic complement depletion significantly reduces recruitment of macrophages into the nerve and subsequent macrophage-mediated demyelination.
